Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-03-01


who was nearly wild with grief at tho
loss of the one being whom he had to
love in the wide world. Only for things
that his mother said to him before she
fell asleep, l fear Tad would have drift
ed into the ways of too many OF our
city boys who, like him, are left home
less and friendless amid temptation and
sin. But the boy had good stuff in
him, and, best Of all. he held his moth
cr's memory and parting words as
something too sacred to be forgotten.
do not claim that he was one of those
immaculate street boys common enough
in fiction, but, alas! so rare in fact. BY
no means. Truth compels me TO state
that Tad Thorne at the age Of fourteen
was rather rude In speech, quick-tem-
pered and the owner of decidedly
obstinate disposition. which, however,
was readily affected by kindly words.
Yet. do you wonder at his faultsp The
only wonder to myself is that Tad did
not become a really bad boy; for since
his mothers death he had, as one may
say. almost lived in the streets, For
Tad had no home. A friendly news
vehder gave him lodgings under his
periodical counter In the city post
office, in return for which Tad sold pa
pers or ran errands. And in odd mo-
ments he had managed to keep soul
and body together by backing boots,
peddling matches, carrying valises,
holding horses, and a score of other de-
vices known, TO the average street boy.
| have mentioned Tad's faults; now
let me tellyou some of his better quail
ties. Hewas honest. elean-mouthed. and,
generally speaking, truthful, as well as
kind-hoarted and generous to an ex-
travagant degree. He had attended the
night schools - attracted at first by
their warmth and comfort-where he
learned to read creditably, spell fairly,
write legibly and cipher understand
ingly. But.with his superiority in many
respects over the associates among
whom his lot of late had been thrown,
. Tad, in thinking matters over, had to
confess that, in a business point Of
view. he had been any thing but a sue
cess. The truth is, Tad was not sharp
or unscrupulous enough to compete
with his fellows; but this fact he did
not recognize. na hang
l guess I'm not one of the lucky
ones, he murmured, rather ruefully,
rs he mentally reviewed his many
business failures. while the swift train,
which was bearing him away from the
scene Of them all, to fresh fields and
pastures new, went laundering on
through the darkness toward Boston.
Boston!' As Tad's thoughts reverted
from the past, the name repeated itself
over in his mind, :. Seems as though | |
heard mother say once that | had an
Aunt Rhoda who lived In Boston, or
Bangor, or-anyway, 1t was place
that began with b, somewhere down
East " mused Tad. Not that he
hoped. expected or even desired to meet
this, the only relative he knew of in
the world. II was enough to remember
that she had never held communication
with Mrs. Thorne since her marriage to |
some one whom her older sister Rhoda |
did not like. And slight offered to |
his mother was in Tad's eyes an un-
pardonable oflense.
But so much thinking, together with
the warmth of the steam-heating pipes
at his back and the even, on-rushing
movement Of the train, began to make
Tad drowsy. Peeping out of his hiding
place, he could see. that many of the
passengers were disposing themselves
for uneasy slumber, and, judging by
certain sounds from the chair in front Of |
him, Tad's lady was already in dream
land. So, leaning his head back against
the fur-lined cloak which had already
served him such a good turn, and, /
being used to sleeping in all sorts Sof
postures and places, Tad fell fast asleep
in no time. Rousing himself at inter-
walls long enough to silently change his
cramped position, Tad passed the long
night in comparative comfort, until
with the dawn Of morning all began to
shake of their drowsiness, and to
struggle into more comfortable posi-,
tions, as they grumbled about not hav-
ing slept a wink during the night.
Tad's lady was not exactly cross, but
Tad noticed that she called her hus-
band Mr.. Mason, instead Of ''John,
dear, las on the evening before, when
she asked him how he had rested. And
he also noticed that Mr.. Mason's voice
was rather sharp as he replied that the
confomded chair had given him three
distinct kinks in his backbone, and
while economy was we'll enough in its
place, by George! another time he'd
have his own way, and take a section
in a sleeper" as sure as his name
was John Mason!
$50, my lady is Mrs. John Mason, ~
Tad thought to himself, trying in his
to picture her face from
the sound Of her voice, and failing en-
tirely. But without well knowing why,
he resolved not TO forget the name of
the lady who-as he mentally ex-
pressed it-"belonged to the fur-lined
cloak. P" Other and less pleasant thoughts
began to obtrude themselves, as the
wore on. Now that he was
so near his destination, Tad's growing
anxiety as 10 his future movements
contrasted rather strongly with his
philosophy Of the previous evening.
..i'ii get something to eat, first OF
all, = finally decided Tad, resolving not
to lay any plans till this important duty
had been performed. He had a cash
capital Of ten cents, together with two
boxes of matches as balance of stock
In trade, so that he felt sure of
biealsfast-not luxurious one, it is
true--but, like stale bun, very filling
lor the price.
Besides, there was the sachel--he
,ould readily raise something On 1t at
he pawnbrokcr's. "But that don't
'eem to be doing the square thing by
he high-toned old party. after all,
nused Tad, thoughtfully; ''for even il
dnnit avor ,rtn afrosa him auofnfl